Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beardby Alex Bertie
Being a teenager is difficult enough, but having to go through puberty whilst realizing you’re in the wrong body means dealing with a whole new set of problems: bullying, self-doubt and in some cases facing a physical and medical transition.
Alex is an ordinary teenager: he likes pugs, donuts, retro video games and he sleeps with his socks on. He’s also transgender, and was born female. He’s been living as a male for the past few years and he has recently started his physical transition.
Throughout this book, Alex will share what it means to be in his shoes, as well as his personal advice to other trans teens. Above all, he will show you that every step in his transition is another step towards happiness. This is an important and positive book, a heart-warming coming-of-age memoir with a broad appeal.
The 57 Bus
by Dashka Slater
If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California but they inhabited different worlds. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left one severely burned, and the other charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.
Your Rights as an LGBTQ+ Teen
by Barbra Penne
Each chapter in this title provides resources for teens encountering interpersonal or systemic mistreatment at home, school, work, and in their community. The text lays out their legally recognized rights in these contexts, providing information about how to make use of existing laws. Also included are strategies for meeting needs not currently recognized as legal rights, drawing on past and contemporary struggles for equality. Accessible and engaging, this title provides LGBTQ+ youth with the tools to protect themselves, participate safely in the activities they care about, and to make societal change.
The ABC’s of LGBT+
by Ashley Mardell
Ashley Mardell, one of the most trusted voices on YouTube, presents a detailed look at all things LGBT+. Along with in-depth written definitions, personal anecdotes, infographics, links to online videos, and more. Mardell aims to provide a friendly voice to a community looking for information.
This book is also for allies and LGBT+ people simply looking to pack in some extra knowledge! Knowledge is a critical part of acceptance, learning about new identities broadens our understanding of humanity, heightens our empathy, and allows us different, valuable perspectives. These words also provide greater precision when describing attractions and identities. There is never anything wrong with having an efficient, expansive vocabulary!
A Quick and Easy Guide to Queer and Trans Identities
by Mady G. & J. R. Zuckerberg
In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonists Mady G. and J. R. Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world! Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples. A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!
Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World
by Sarah Prager
World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals — and you’ve never heard of many of them.
Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing genderambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.
The Pride Guide: A Guide to Sexual and Social Health for LGBTQ Youth
by Jo Langford
The Pride Guide is written explicitly for the almost ten percent of teenagers who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, or any of the unique identities that are not heterosexual/cisgendered. It explores sex, dating, relationships, puberty, and both physical and online safety in one resource.
Equipping teens and their families with knowledge and self-confidence, this work provides the best protection against the unfortunate consequences that sometimes accompany growing up with an alternative gender or identity. With real-world information presented in a factual and humorous way, responsible adults can teach queer youth to (and how to) protect themselves, to find resources, to explore who they are, and to interact with the world around them while being true to themselves and respectful of others.
For LGBTQ youth, this is a resource containing information on the unique issues queer youth face regarding what puberty looks like (particularly for trans youth), dating skills and violence, activism, personal safety, and above all, pride. Parents and other supportive adults who are motivated to educate themselves and who are interested in gaining some tools and skills around making these necessary conversations less uncomfortable and more effective will benefit from this book. The go-to resource for making informed decisions, The Pride Guide is indispensable for teens, parents, educators, and others hoping to support the safe journey of LGBTQ teens on their journey of discovery.
Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin
by Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long
Bayard Rustin was a major figure in the Civil Rights movement. He was arrested on a bus 13 years before Rosa Parks and he participated in integrated bus rides throughout the South 14 years before the Freedom Riders. He was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., teaching him the techniques and philosophy of Gandhian nonviolent direct action. He organized the March on Washington in 1963, one of the most impactful mobilizations in American history. Despite these contributions, few Americans recognize his name, and he is absent from most history books, in large part because he was gay. This biography traces Rustin’s life, from his childhood and his first arrest in high school for sitting in the “whites only” section of a theater, through a lifetime of nonviolent activism.
Intended for young audiences, with numerous photographs and sidebars, this book will also appeal to older readers who want to learn more about this fascinating man who sang on Broadway with Paul Robeson, was imprisoned for his activism and worked on a chain gang, advised Martin Luther King, and more. Bayard Rustin was a lifelong activist for peace and justice, a fearless nonviolent resistor whose story is inspiring, educational, and very relevant today.
Search the Library
Potential Reads
- Science Fiction
- Re-tellings of Fairy Tales, Plays, and Other Classics
- Mental Health, Hard Issues, and Difficult Topics
- LGBTQIA+ Non-Fiction
- LGBTQIA+ Fiction
- Horror, Paranormal, and the Supernatural
- Fantasy
- Dystopian Fiction, Apocalyptic Events, and the Aftermath
- College to Grief to Self-Esteem: How to Adult, Life Lessons, and Growing Up
- Black History Month
Contact the Teen/Young Adult Librarian
Telephone: 409.763.8854 Ext. 140
Email the Teen Department